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- Mon May 15, 2017 2:19 pm
#34867
Complete Question Explanation
Resolve the Paradox. The correct answer choice is (A)
This medical columnist presents some of the benefits of vitamin C—to general health for its
antioxidant effects, offering protection against certain forms of disease-triggering oxygen particles,
and for the extra protection it can provide to those suffering from various maladies. The columnist
goes on to say, however, that (despite the existence of such health benefits) some cancer patients,
including some who are suffering from detrimental side effects of certain therapies, are being told by
their doctors not to take vitamin C.
The question that follows requires a resolution to this apparent paradox; how is it that vitamin C,
which can bring health benefits by way of its antioxidant effects and its apparent ability to help
bolster immunity, could be bad for some cancer patients?
The correct answer choice will explain this apparent contradiction, probably by introducing a
previously unmentioned detriment associated with the use of vitamin C for some cancer patients.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. This choice provides that cancer cells can
use vitamin C for protection against certain cancer therapies. If, as this choice says, vitamin C can
interfere with the effectiveness of such cancer therapies, this explains why doctors are dissuading
certain patients from the use of vitamin C.
Answer choice (B): Even if vitamin C hasn’t been shown to reduce the risk of cancer specifically,
that would not explain why doctors would go so far as to dissuade some cancer patients from taking
the vitamin, especially considering the other benefits that the author already specifically mentioned
in the stimulus.
Answer choice (C): The fact that vitamin C is unlikely to have any effect on certain types of cancer
cells might explain why doctors might not suggest the vitamin as a specific part of therapy, but this
choice fails to provide an explanation as to why doctors would specifically discourage the use of
vitamin C, particularly considering some of the other potential benefits associated with its use.
Answer choice (D): Rather than resolving the paradox, if anything this choice seems to expand it.
If, as this choice provides, better general health leads to better chances of recovery from cancer, this
would seem to provide that much more reason for cancer patients to consider the use of vitamin C.
In any case, this choice fails to provide any explanation as to why doctors would discourage the use
of the vitamin in some cases, so this cannot be the right answer to this Resolve the Paradox question.
Answer choice (E): This choice provides very limited information: there are certain types of side
effects that are not affected by the use of vitamin C. This would not help to explain why, despite
its potential benefits in many cases, there are some patients that doctors discourage from taking the
vitamin. Since this choice fails to explain the apparent discrepancy, it can be safely ruled out of
contention.
Resolve the Paradox. The correct answer choice is (A)
This medical columnist presents some of the benefits of vitamin C—to general health for its
antioxidant effects, offering protection against certain forms of disease-triggering oxygen particles,
and for the extra protection it can provide to those suffering from various maladies. The columnist
goes on to say, however, that (despite the existence of such health benefits) some cancer patients,
including some who are suffering from detrimental side effects of certain therapies, are being told by
their doctors not to take vitamin C.
The question that follows requires a resolution to this apparent paradox; how is it that vitamin C,
which can bring health benefits by way of its antioxidant effects and its apparent ability to help
bolster immunity, could be bad for some cancer patients?
The correct answer choice will explain this apparent contradiction, probably by introducing a
previously unmentioned detriment associated with the use of vitamin C for some cancer patients.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice. This choice provides that cancer cells can
use vitamin C for protection against certain cancer therapies. If, as this choice says, vitamin C can
interfere with the effectiveness of such cancer therapies, this explains why doctors are dissuading
certain patients from the use of vitamin C.
Answer choice (B): Even if vitamin C hasn’t been shown to reduce the risk of cancer specifically,
that would not explain why doctors would go so far as to dissuade some cancer patients from taking
the vitamin, especially considering the other benefits that the author already specifically mentioned
in the stimulus.
Answer choice (C): The fact that vitamin C is unlikely to have any effect on certain types of cancer
cells might explain why doctors might not suggest the vitamin as a specific part of therapy, but this
choice fails to provide an explanation as to why doctors would specifically discourage the use of
vitamin C, particularly considering some of the other potential benefits associated with its use.
Answer choice (D): Rather than resolving the paradox, if anything this choice seems to expand it.
If, as this choice provides, better general health leads to better chances of recovery from cancer, this
would seem to provide that much more reason for cancer patients to consider the use of vitamin C.
In any case, this choice fails to provide any explanation as to why doctors would discourage the use
of the vitamin in some cases, so this cannot be the right answer to this Resolve the Paradox question.
Answer choice (E): This choice provides very limited information: there are certain types of side
effects that are not affected by the use of vitamin C. This would not help to explain why, despite
its potential benefits in many cases, there are some patients that doctors discourage from taking the
vitamin. Since this choice fails to explain the apparent discrepancy, it can be safely ruled out of
contention.